5 Dos and Don’ts of Using Humor in E-learning

Written by Priyanka Dhondi

What we learn with pleasure we never forget. – Alfred Mercier

It is common knowledge that a good online course makes the learner stay focused throughout the course. To impart first-rate training, as an instructional designer, you can add humor to your eLearning course. Proper use of fun elements goes a long way in making your eLearning course engaging. Characters, cartoons, avatars, photographs, animated pictures, case-studies, animations and scenarios can be used to make courses fun-filled. In this blog, I would like to share some tips to use humor very effectively in your online training course without compromising on the course objectives.

1. Examine the background of your audience

Learners come from diverse backgrounds. So, learn about the backgrounds of your learners in order to figure out what they consider to be humorous. Take time to survey the learners or conduct an interview with a selected group of learners. This goes a long way in creating courses that will interest your learners.

2. Don’t let fun elements/humor ‘dominate’ the subject matter

You need to remember that the primary objective of your eLearning course is to train the learner and not entertain him. See that the fun elements in your elearning course do not divert the attention of your people. The fun elements should help the learner to focus effectively on the online training course and learn better.

3. Create interesting examples and stories to explain the subject

Interactivities, thought-provoking questions and jokes are not the only ways to engage the learners. Along with these, you can use real-life examples and stories related to the content of your elearning course to engage the learner. Good examples and stories are very useful to ensure that he is engrossed.

4. See that the fun elements are “positive”

Avoid using negative humor that is self-deprecating. The fun elements in your eLearning should help create a good learning experience. They need to motivate your people to take the elearning course. For example, start the elearning course with a joke or an animated character whose makeup is entertaining and welcoming.

5. Use humor at the right place

It is very important to get the usage of humor right. Fun elements used in the elearning course should not distract the learner and make him think what the course is actually all about. To retain the instructional value of the eLearning course, you need to know where to use humor. It should be “embedded” into the course in such a way that it helps the learner connect with the course emotionally.

Hope you liked this post. Do you wish to add to this list? Please do so.

About CommLab India

CommLab India addresses the learning and development needs of major organizations through its custom and rapid e-learning solutions, translations and mobile learning services. Since 2000, we have been offering technology-enabled solutions to accelerate workforce performance.

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